History, 1838–1856, volume D-1 [1 August 1842–1 July 1843]
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Source Note
JS, History, 1838–1856, vol. D-1, created 4 July 1845–4 Feb. 1846 and 1 July 1854–2 May 1855; handwriting of , Robert L. Campbell, and ; 275 pages, plus 6 pages of addenda; CHL. This is the fourth volume of a six-volume manuscript history of the church. This fourth volume covers the period from 1 Aug. 1842 to 1 July 1843; the remaining five volumes, labeled A-1, B-1, C-1, E-1 and F-1, continue through 8 Aug. 1844.
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Historical Introduction
History, 1838–1856, volume D-1, constitutes the fourth of six volumes documenting the life of Joseph Smith and the early years of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The series is also known as the Manuscript History of the Church and was originally published serially from 1842 to 1846 and 1851 to 1858 as the “History of Joseph Smith” in the Times and Seasons and Deseret News. This volume contains JS’s history from 1 August 1842 to 1 July 1843, and it was compiled after JS’s death.The material recorded in volume D-1 was initially compiled under the direction of church historian , with the assistance of . After Richards’s death in 1854, continued work on the volume as the new church historian with Bullock’s continued help. The process adopted by Richards and Bullock involved Richards creating a set of rough draft notes and Bullock transcribing the notes into the volume along with the text of designated documents (such as letters and meeting minutes). George A. Smith followed a similar pattern, though he dictated the draft notes to Bullock and other scribes.According to the Church Historian’s Office journal, finished the third volume of the series, volume C-1, on Thursday, 3 July 1845, in , Illinois. He began work on the fourth volume, D-1, the next day, beginning on page 1362 with the entry for 1 August 1842. (The pages in volumes A-1–E-1 were numbered consecutively.) Bullock continued work on the record, drawing upon ’s draft notes, until 3 February 1846—the day before D-1 and the other volumes were packed up in preparation for the Latter-day Saints’ exodus from Nauvoo. At that point he had reached page 1485 with the entry for 28 February 1843. Subsequently, apparently after the collection had arrived in Utah, Bullock added a brief comment beneath that entry: “end of W. Richard’s compiling[.] the books packed Feby. 4— 1846 in Nauvoo[.] Miles Romney— present. The records carried by T Bullock from Winter Quarters to G S L [Great Salt Lake] City in 1848.”A notation at the top of page 1486 reports that “the books were unpacked in G. S. L. City by and . June 7. 1853. J[onathan] Grimshaw & Miles Romney present.” Vertically, in the margin, is a poignant epitaph: “Decr. 1 1853 Dr. Willard Richards wrote one line of History—being sick at the time—and was never able to do any more.” With Richards’s death on 11 March 1854, JS’s cousin was called to the office of church historian. The notation on the top of page 1486 acknowledges this change in officers, noting, “commencement of George A. Smith’s compiling as Historian. April 13. 1854[.] [C]ommenced copying July 1. 1854.” From mid-April to the end of June 1854, George A. Smith, in collaboration with Thomas Bullock, worked on the draft notes for the history before a new scribe, , resumed writing in D-1 on 1 July 1854, beginning with the entry for 1 March 1843.continued transcribing intermittently into the late fall of 1854, when he was assigned other duties in the Historian’s Office. He had reached page 1546 with the entry for 5 May 1843. Work resumed in February 1855 in the hand of Robert L. Campbell, recently returned from a mission. He concluded volume D-1 on the morning of 2 May 1855 and began writing in E-1 that afternoon.The 274 pages of volume D-1 contain a record of much that is significant in the life of JS and the development of the church he founded. Among these events are• JS’s 6 August 1842 prophecy that the Saints would become a mighty people in the midst of the Rocky Mountains.•JS’s 8 August 1842 arrest on a warrant for being “an accessory before the fact” to an attack on former governor .• ’s 17 August 1842 letter to governor , pleading for the humane treatment of her husband and family.•JS’s 1 and 6 September 1842 instructions regarding the proper procedures for performing baptisms for the dead.• JS’s 15 November 1842 “Valedictory” as he stepped down as editor of the Times and Seasons.• The 26 December 1842 arrest of JS on a “proclamation” by former governor , and subsequent hearing in , Illinois.• The 7 February 1843 recovery of a volume of patriarchal blessings given by , which had been stolen in , Missouri.• JS’s 21 February 1843 remarks regarding the and .• JS’s 2 April 1843 instruction at , Illinois, on the nature of God and other subjects.• JS’s 16 May 1843 remarks at , Illinois, on the everlasting covenant and eternal marriage.• The account of JS’s 23 June 1843 arrest and his habeas corpus hearing the following week at .
Footnotes
April 17 Rain last night, green grass begins to appear.
Walked out in the with , visited Elder , and gave him some instructions about [HC 5:363] the letter purporting to come from the Attorney General Legare;— also called on in relation to the house he lived in, above the old burying ground— returned home and conversed with Elder . Received from 50 Gold Sovereigns for the and ; also received £87 from the English brethren for land. At 5½ P.M. called at the Printing Office for a short time, when I returned home and listened to the reading of a synopsis of my sermon of last Sabbath.
Advices from Guadaloupe, state, that up to the 25th of March, 4500 bodies had been dug out of the ruins of Point-a-Pitre and 2,200 of the wounded by the late earthquake were in the hospital at Basseterre; and that five other shocks had been subsequently felt
Elder Edward M. Webb writes, that he has been labouring with sucess in several counties in , when he came to Comstock in Kalamazoo County, Dr. was lecturing in Kalamazoo, the Shire town; and was told that there was a Mormon elder in the neighborhood, said “that is one of Joe Smith’s destroying angels, who is come to kill me” and he left in such haste, that he forgot to pay his tavern bill, also the poor Presbyterians for lighting and warming the house for him. Elder Webb commenced preaching there, baptized 24, and organized a branch.
100 barrels or 10,000 lbs of Gunpowder, were deposited in 15 separate chambers, and simultaneously fired, with complete sucess, in the Abbotts Cliff, Dover, .
18 Tuesday. Signed an appointment to Esq. of Shokoquon, as one of my Aides de camp, as Lieutenant General of the Legion, and conversing with him. [HC 5:364]
Rode out on the Prairie, sold 130 acres of land to the English brethren, and took a bond from for two lots.
Signed a transcript of the Mayor’s Docket. Thomson v. Dixon
In the evening had a talk with three Indian Chiefs, who had come as a delegation from the Pottawatomies tribe, who complained of having their cattle, horses &c stolen; they were much troubled, and wanted to know what they should do; they have borne their grievances patiently.
The quorum of the Twelve met in my
19 Went to the at 9 o’clock to attend Municipal Court in case of atst on appeal from Mayor’s decision of March 10; at ½ past 9, called to order, and issued an attachment against , , , , , , and Associate Justices, to bring them before the Court forthwith to answer for contempt. Aldermen , , and appeared, and were excused upon condition of their paying the costs of attachment and Marshalls fees. was excused on account of absence from the
12½ P.M. Court opened, original papers being called for; the Clerk () enquired if the execution would issue from this Court? Sit down, (said the Mayor) and attend to your own business, if any thing is wanted you will be told time enough. Counsel for moved, that the case be dismissed for want of jurisdiction in the Court below, much [p. 1536]
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